On Aug. 2, Cathay Pacific Airways celebrated the launch of its latest destination and the conclusion of its recent rapid expansion of services to India, with 20 more flights being added to make a total of 28 per week.

The airline's Chief Operating Officer, John Slosar, officiated at the inaugural celebration for the launch of flights to Chennai, attended by more than 300 guests in the southern Indian city. Guest of honour at the event were Mr. Dinesh Kumar, Airport Director, Airport Authority of India, and Mr Adit Atal, Vice President, Spencers Travel Services Ltd. while other guests included members of the diplomatic community, and representatives from India's travel and freight industries.

Cathay Pacific launched its four-times-weekly service to Chennai on Jun. 2, connecting passengers from around the world to one of India's most important industrial and commercial centres.

The airline has significantly expanded its services to and from India following the conclusion of an air services agreement between the Hong Kong and Indian governments in December last year. At the beginning of 2008 the airline had just four flights a week to both Delhi and Mumbai. Now it operates 14 flights each week to Delhi, 10 flights a week to Mumbai and four to Chennai. In addition, Cathay Pacific's sister airline, Dragonair, recently launched a daily service to the information technology hub Bengaluru (Bangalore).

Speaking at the Chennai inaugural celebration, Mr Slosar said that Cathay Pacific was pleased to be able to serve Delhi and Mumbai with eight flights a week, "but we always knew that wasn't enough - especially given the remarkable growth of the two new economic powerhouses, India and China," he said.

"We were delighted - and very excited - when the Indian and Hong Kong governments reached a new bilateral agreement late last year that gave us the opportunity to launch additional services. It was the dawning of a new era for Cathay Pacific in India. Together with its sister airline Dragonair's Bengaluru service we now have 35 passenger flights a week, opening up new horizons for the travelling public.

"That all adds up to a very significant presence in India, which is important for our company and also for Hong Kong. We have been working hard to build the Hong Kong's reputation as one of the world's leading international hubs, and that hub position has been considerably strengthened with the launch of our new India services."

Passengers to and from India can now connect through the Hong Kong hub to almost 120 destinations in Cathay Pacific's international network and to more than 20 cities in Mainland China on sister airline Dragonair, providing a vital link between the two fastest-growing countries in the world.

Photograph 1: Cathay Pacific Chief Operating Officer Mr. John Slosar (centre), General Manager Middle East, India, Africa & Pakistan Mr. Tom Wright (left), and Mr Adit Atal, Vice President, Spencers Travel Services Ltd. (right), to dot the eyes of the lions at a ceremony held in Chennai to mark the airline's expansion of services to India.

Photograph 2: Airport Authority of India (2nd from right), Mr. Adit Atal, Vice President, Spencers Travel Services Ltd. (1st from left), Cathay Pacific Chief Operating Officer Mr. John Slosar (2nd from left), and General Manager Middle East, India, Africa & Pakistan Mr. Tom Wright (1st from right), perform a traditional Indian lamp-lighting ceremony at the event held in Chennai to mark Cathay Pacific's expansion of services to India.